Are you Still bored?
by Artemisa
Summary: Young Estel is bored in a rainy afternoon and asks Mithrandir to tell him a story, but after listening at the old wizard he starts regreting his idea as his brothers, Legoas and even Elrond and Glorfindel starts telling stories as well. Please R/R.
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: They are not mine, you know it.

Author Notes: English is not my mother language, sorry for the mistakes. I know that elves aren't afraid of almost anything (including ghost, shadows, voices out of nowhere, crazy fanfic writers like me...) but in this story they are, not as humans but they can be scare. 

PLEASE REVIEW I will really appreciate it. If you are a fanfic writer  you know what a review means. So please do it. And if you are not, do it anyway and make a girl happy (very, very happy)

Are you still bored?

"I'm bored" a little eight year old Estel said looking at his brothers. Elladan and Legolas exchanged amused glances while Elrond and Glorfindel looked at the little human with raised eyebrows.

"Sorry Estel, but I'm afraid the storm is worse" Elrohir said chuckling. They were all gathered in the Hall of Fire in the House of Elrond. It was a rainy and cold afternoon, Elladan, Legolas and Elrohir were sat in a big and soft couch reading, Elrond and Glorfindel were discussing some state business and Estel was sat on the floor looking at the fire in the chimney.

"It can't be that bad"

"Estel, we can hardly see what is two miles away" Elrohir said

"If we walk as close as you three always are, we won't get lost" the human insisted, at this Glorfindel cleared his throat giving the three elven princes a questioning look. Said princes pretended to have seen nothing.

"And what if you crush with a tree?" Legolas suggested without getting his eyes of the book he was reading.

"Well..."

"Or if you fall in the lake?" Elrohir continue

"Well..."

"Or if you fall in the waterfalls?" Elladan finished

"Alright! I admit it, we can't go out. But is pure torture" Estel said at last pouting

"For whom? You or us?"

"Elladan! That wasn't funny" The human said throwing a cushion to the older twin who avoided it, so the cushion hit Legolas that was peacefully reading ignoring the teasing. Estel's eyes grew wide and he stood up quickly and stepped behind Elrond.

"What is it?" the lord asked and sighed deeply when he saw the twins laughing at Legolas and the prince walking to Estel with two cushions "I should have guessed" and he pushed Estel out of his near protection.

"Come here little human" Legolas said, Estel looking that Elrond wasn't going to be the shield he wanted to he ran to the door, but Legolas anticipated his move and threw the cushions in that direction. What the prince didn't anticipated was that Mithrandir entered in the Hall in that moment, so the Istari was welcome with to cushions in his face.

"Next time I come to your house Elrond remember me to bring an armor" Mithrandir said, eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Sorry Mithrandir" Legolas apologized sheepishly. Estel, thinking that the prince archer was distracted he tried to go near Elrond again , but he was caught by Legolas who tickle him.

"Legolas you are going to suffocate him" Elrohir said laughing.

"We thought that you were in the library" Elrond said shaking his head with resignation.

"I found what I wanted, so I decide to spend some time with your crazy elflings"

"Elbereth helps you" Glorfindel said. 

"And next time you throw a pillow to your brothers make it hit THEM, not ME!" Legolas said with a smile leaving an almost breathless Estel on the floor. Mithrandir chuckled.

"It's always refreshing to come here, the innocence of Estel is comforting, as well as the relation between those three"

"Ah, Mithrandir, be with them for a while and you will change your mind" Glorfindel said sighing

"We heard that!" The three young elves shouted 

"Behave!" Elrond said, but the three didn't seem to listen.

"They only hear what they want" Elrond said sighing.

"You know, dear friend, instead of the Last Homely House, this place should be the Sighing Homely House" Mithrandir laughed

"Want to stay for a month?" The lord said raising an elegant eyebrow

"No thanks! I still have to do a lot of things before I die!" 

"We heard that!"

"See what I mean?" Elrond said throwing his hands up, Mithrandir chuckled "Weren't you three reading?"

"No, Legolas was reading. We were interrupted" Elladan said

"And I was attacked" Legolas pointed.

"I'm bored!" Estel complained again and everybody facefaulted.

"Read" Elrohir said

" I've been reading all day!" 

"We too" the younger twin said

"Elrohir, he's eight years all" Elladan said

"Point" Legolas and Elladan rolled their eyes amused 

"Mithrandir why don't you tell us a story?" Estel said rolling his eyes at the three princes "An interesting one"

"A story?" Mithrandir said, a thunder fell lightening the Hall "Mmm. A story..." his eyes shone devilishly. Elrond and Glorfindel grinned knowing what was in the Istari's mind. "Well, I guess I can tell you a story that you will remember for a long time" Legolas sat between the twins where he was reading and they embraced each other for warm (or so they said), Mithrandir sat on a comfortable chair next to the fire, Estel laid on the floor among several cushions and Glorfindel and Elrond sat in two chairs close to the three friends.

"You are joining us?" Elladan asked

"I think we deserve a break" was all Elrond said looking amused at Mithrandir

"They are plotting something" Legolas whispered 

"Lets see who turns to be the victim" Elrohir whispered back. A thunder made the windows trembled

"Well, this story happened to Lord Celeborn and me at the end of the Second Age. We were arriving here, to Imladris, for we needed to speak with Elrond of very urgent matters..."

THE MOCKING SHADOW 

"The storm is getting worse" Mithrandir shouted holding his hat tightly, for the wind menaced to take it with it.

"I can already see Imladris" Celeborn said shouting as well "It won't take us too long"

"But with this storm we can get lost, we should stop for a while"

"No, I must return to Lorién soon, that is why I insisted in traveling without escort, to travel quicker"

"Elves..." Mithrandir whispered, Celeborn looked at him with a raised eyebrow. They continued walking side by side while the day faded and the night covered with darkness the already dark road. Suddenly Celeborn stopped and looked around them. The trees were just black spots dancing disturbingly, the rain was lighten by the often thunders and because of the clouds the stars weren't visible. 

"What is it?" the old Istari asked frowning

"I don't know for sure, I thought that I had saw something but..." he shocked his head 

"Orcs maybe?"

"No, even with the rain the orc's smell is unmistakable." He sighed "It was nothing, lets continue" as they walked, Mithrandir was more and more anxious, for he knew that the elves didn't got nervous for nothing and despite what the Lord of Lothlorién said, the Istari had seen the elf a bit disturbed. 

            It didn't passed half an hour when Celeborn unsheathe his bow and had an arrow ready, Mithrandir looked at him worried but alert. It was then when the Istari, by the corner of his eye, saw the shadow, deep black against black, but when he turned to see it directly there was nothing. They waited several minutes, but they didn't see anything again. Finally, Celeborn relaxed and lowed his bow.

"Now don't tell me it was nothing" Mithrandir said worried "But I understand why you thought that, it seems that it is only visible if we see it by the corner of the eye" Celeborn nodded

"But it is like a reflection, when I was taking aim it moved a little, it... I don't know how to describe it"

"We better hurry" and the Istari lighted his staff. The pale light made visible the nearest trees, but beyond them it was just darkness.

"Not even Thranduil and the silvan elves would like this night" Celeborn said

"Indeed" his companion nodded. "The trees look menacing"

"But I doubt they dare to harm a first born" Celeborn said with the arrogance of the elves, not malicious, but oblivious of it.

"Lucky you" said the wizard rolling his eyes. "Elves..." he thought a bit amused. Again they started walking. A sudden cold wind made them stop, the cold increased and the trees' branches seemed to move to touch the two travelers.

"This is not natural" Celeborn told his companion as they both started running "I had never see the trees like this, but I can't feel any evil"

" I can't as well, but something is happening here" suddenly they stopped. There it was again, the menacing shadow, with a twisted form. Taking aim, Celeborn shot his arrow as fast as it could hitting it in the middle. Everything returned to normal again.

"But when we got close" said Mithrandir to his astonished audience "We just found Celeborn's arrow stocked in a trunk, it's silver point had turned brown, so we broke it and leave it there. As we were leaving, we turned around and we saw in the trunk were the arrow was a pair of mocking eyes with a twisted smile fading with the rain" nobody spoke for a while.

"This is not a joke, is it?"

"Ask your grandfather" the wizard answer Elrohir's question. Estel gulped, the twins and Legolas were even closer to each other and the older elves were serious. Again a long silence.

TBC...

Don't forget to review! 


	2. Chapter II

DISCLAIMER: They are not mine, you know it.

Author Notes: English is not my mother language, sorry for the mistakes. Thanks a lot for the reviews! They really mean a lot to me, keep doing it.

PLEASE REVIEW I will really appreciate it. If you are a fanfic writer  you know what a review means. So please do it. And if you are not, do it anyway and make a girl happy (very, very happy)

Are you still bored?

"It was an interesting story, my friend" Elrond said smiling. The twins and Legolas were looking at each other in that kind of conversation that they always had with just their eyes. Meanwhile Estel was a bit disturbed and he was thinking that maybe it wasn't a good idea to asked the old wizard to tell a story.

"Father, why don't you or Glorfindel tell us a story as well?" Elladan suggested

"Why don't each of you tell a story?" Estel suggested too. Certainly with the others' stories he would forget the creepy one of Mithrandir.

"Alright" Elrohir said "Who's first?"

"Well I have a very unusual story" Glorfindel said "Haldir told it to me. It was rather a strange thing and so he wanted to know if I had deal with something like that. Of course I even hadn't hear something like this until he finished what happened to him and his brothers in the western borders of Lothlorién itself"

DISTURBING SHOUTS 

            Haldir, Rumil and Orophin were guarding the western borders along with their patrol, it was one of the last days of their guard, so they were on top of the great trees as always watching the forest and chatting among them. It was at midday that the first things started happening.

"What is that?" asked Rumil shielding his eyes from the Sun with his hand. Haldir and Orophin stood up and jumped to the branch where their brother was

"Where?" Orophin looked at him

"In the north opposite to the road"

"I think is a campfire" Haldir said annoyed "And so this guard is not going to be as peaceful as we thought"

"But it is far away Lorién, maybe they turn aside" Rumil suggested

"I don't believe it. They are heading here"

"Haldir, don't be paranoid" Orophin said grinning "We will wait to see what the do" suddenly small drops of water took the brother's attention 

"It's going to rain" Haldir said smiling. He just loved the rain (A/N: and he certainly didn't die under it, what was PJ thinking?)

"Look the campfire is moving" Rumil pointed to where the shining point was.

"Strange. Since when the travelers walk with their campfire?" Rumil said puzzled

"It's moving too fast in this direction" Haldir said looking at Orophin. 

"Indeed" the younger elf said walking pass him. Haldir rolled his eyes and the three saw how the campfire was approaching the borders of the Golden Woods. 

            It was night when it was obvious that who ever was doing the campfire, their destiny was Lothlorién. The three elves went down the tree and whistling like a bird they gathered all the elves that were in the patrol. By now, it was raining hard, thunders illuminated often the surroundings. 

"Have you seen the campfire?" Haldir asked to an elf named Allendë

"Yes sir, it is moving following the road" Allendë said.

"Following the road? But it is opposite it" Rumil said confused.

"Campfire in the road and opposite it? We haven't seen anything" a third elf named Sorthliel said more confused. "This is very strange"

"One thing is clear, they are heading here" Orophin commented, one third of the elves nodded.

"Well, lets take positions and no matter what don't leave them" Haldir said preparing his bow, all the elves nodded and went through different ways. It had stopped raining, but the clouds were still in the sky darkening it considerably. 

            They wait for several hours but nothing happened, Haldir, Rumil, Orophin and the elves that were with them still saw the campfire opposite the road and no matter how hard they tried, they didn't saw anything on the road. Suddenly shouts from where one group of elves was filled the air.

"They are attacking them!" Rumil said worried, some elves started climbing down the tall trees when Haldir stopped them.

"No! We can't leave this side unprotected" nodding but not convinced at all they hold their positions and waited. Only the shouts could be heard.

"Elbereth! They heard as if they are mutilating them" Orophin said horrified, for the shouts were indeed disturbing.

"Shut up Orophin!" Rumil said trembling "They are going to be all right, they..." but a sound made him felt silent.

"What is that? It hears like laughing" an elf said looking around them.

"And the shouts had stopped" Haldir pointed frowning. The darkness was suffocating, for they didn't light torches. Then with the laughing mixed the shouts of the elves, but now it was both directions the other two groups were.

"They have reach the other group as well!" An elf said desperate 

"And where does that laughing comes?" another said nervous

"I don't know, but is very creepy" all the elves had their bows ready to shoot at the first not elven thing they saw, but they didn't saw anything out of the normal, they just listened. 

And as sudden as it began it stopped

"Look! The campfire has gone!" Rumil said pointing to the north. All this time the campfire was there. They wait with their senses alert, but nothing happened. After what seemed an eternity, that turned to be a couple of hours, they decided that everything had ended.

"Lets go where the others are, but be on your guard" Haldir said. They climb down the trees and headed where their friends were.  On their way they sensed movement, ready with their bows they approached where the forms were. They found themselves aiming to their companions of the other two groups who were doing the same. With a startle, they lowered their bows.

"What had happened? Are you all right?" Haldir said looking desperately at the elves, searching for the injured and the missing, but everyone was there unharmed.

"We ask you the same. We heard the shouts of both your groups"  Sorthiliel said 

"We heard the same, we thought you were killed" Allendë frowned 

"We didn't see anything. Just heard the horrible shouts and the laughing. I could swear that I recognized your voice" Rumil said to Sorthliel 

"And we certainly heard Orophin" Allendë said "And many of you"

"Same here" Haldir said frustrated 

"And here" Sorthliel nodded.

"The campfire had gone when everything went silent" Haldir was more confused as the time passed. Had it been a massive hallucination? He really doubts it.

"They were alert the next two days, but nothing happened" Glorfindel said adding more wood at the fire "And when the next patrol came, they told them everything."

"And what did they said?" asked Elladan when the older elf didn't continue 

"That unless they had gotten a personal rainy cloud, it was impossible that it had rain that day, for in Lothlorién hadn't rain for five days. Then is when Haldir and the others noted that even it was raining hard, the campfire didn't extinguish"

"And Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn? Surly Haldir and the others told them this" Legolas said 

"Yes, in fact the first thing Haldir did, being the speaker of the patrol and not to mention the favorite of the Lords, was talk with them"

"And what did they said?" Estel asked, he was hugging his knees seated next to Elrond's legs.

"That there is some powers that not even the elves can explain" said Glorfindel smiling.

TBC...

Don't forget to review! 


	3. Chapter III

DISCLAIMER: They are not mine, you know it.

Author Notes: English is not my mother language, sorry for the mistakes. 

ALIDA-FRUIT: Thanks! Hope you enjoy this chapter, it's mainly about the twins and my version of how they behave. 

DRAGON: Actually I have been posting at least once a week… Anyway, glad to read from you.

MAGPIE POET: I think the worst that PJ could do was kill Haldir. I'm really obsessed with elves (as you can see) and I was the happiest girl when an entire army of the Beautiful People appear in TT (even in the wrong battle) BUT when Haldir was killed… Even this I must accept that what PJ did to Faramir was… there are no words, he killed Tolkien again.

XING: Glad you are liking.

PLEASE REVIEW I will really appreciate it. If you are a fanfic writer  you know what a review means. So please do it. And if you are not, do it anyway and make a girl happy (very, very happy)

Are you still bored?

Very well, Estel thought, Glorfindel's story wasn't exactly a diversion for Mithranthir creepy story. In fact it had been scarier. 

"Right..." Elrohir said. His twin, Legolas and him were so close that they could have been one being. Every pretext was valid to be that close, Elrond thought.

"Who's next?" Legolas asked 

"Me" Elladan said hugging closer the blond prince "This story is what happened to me when I was alone in Father's study" Estel gulped, it was going to be another horrible story.

"You were alone? Without these two?" Mithrandir said surprised "That itself is strange enough" 

"Mithrandir!" The three said pouting

"Anyway" Elladan said still pouting "It was a rather rainy afternoon when father asked me to look for a book that he needed urgently and because Elrohir was sleeping recovering for a deep wound in his chest I went alone"

"And the crazy son of Thranduil?" Mithrandir asked

"In Mirkwood" Legolas said smiling "My father was lecturing me about tormenting my tutors" Mithrandir choked.

"Young one, that is nothing to be proud of" the wizard said 

"See what we meant" Glorfindel said sighing. "And those two are just the same"

"ANYWAY" Elladan said "I was looking for the book thinking that it won't take me too long and that I was going to be able to returned to Elrohir's side soon. Of course, if it was going to be a quick search my father would have done it" Elrond coughed and Mithrandir grinned. The crazy twins had to learn from someone. "When I realice, it was already night. Several candles illuminated the room, but suddenly a strong wind blew and turned off all them leaving the room completely dark. The thunders lighten occasionally the place, but it was just for seconds. So I shouted several times for someone to bring me fire but no one answer. I was very annoyed and I stood up to get it myself and then is when it happened. Next to a column, when the thunders lighten the room for seconds, I could see the figure of a person smiling strangely at me, but as soon as the room was dark again there was nothing"

"And what happened?" asked Estel now seating on Elrond's lap. The lord was embracing him with an amused smile, for it was clear that his little foster son was very scared.

"I went out and even now I don't go there alone at rainy thundering nights" a noise from the door made everyone jumped, some more discreetly than others. They relaxed when they saw it was Uraith, the manservant, bringing them cups of hot tea and some cookies. 

"Is everything right, my lord?" Uraith said puzzled

"Don't worry, we are just a little... nervous" Uraith nodded and left.

"Estel, if you want you can go" Elrond said tenderly. Elrohir was reaching three cups of tea and passing them to his brother and friend, as well as some cookies, Mithrandir was already drinking his tea and Glorfindel was offering one cup to his Lord.

"No, I want to listen to the other's stories"

"Aren't you scare? I can see that the other's are going to be as scary as the last ones" 

"No, I'll stay" but Elrond saw that the little human wasn't very convinced of it. 

"Very well" he said anyway and hugged him tightly.

"Did you knew about Elladan's story?" asked the human

"Yes, he told me about it"

"And?"

"And that's the reason I don't allow anyone to enter there in rainy and thundering nights" Estel grew pale.

"Well, it's my turn" Elrohir said merrily "This was after Yule's celebration, Elladan and Legolas were very drunk..." said elves choked with their tea and Elrond and Glorfindel rolled their eyes. 

"Elrohir, skip that kind of details" Legolas said looking at his friend.

"Sorry, but they need to know that you were out of this world" Mithrandir chuckled 

"Elrohir..." Elladan said 

"Anyway, they fell asleep as soon as we entered Elladan's room. I fell asleep as well, but not so deeply as they"

"Elrohir, they got the point!" Legolas and Elladan said.

"I know, I just love to tease you" Elladan and Legolas rolled his eyes.

"I think that I was asleep about three or four hours before a knock in the window awoke me. I tried to ignore it, but it was quite persistent, so I went to the window and opened the curtains. It happened to be a little branch of the closest tree hitting the window, I opened it and tried to pull away the little think without breaking it, but it wouldn't cooperate. I steeped outside and put it away carefully, when I was going to get into the room, the window closed, I knew that my dears wouldn't hear me, no matter how hard I shout, so using a chain that I was wearing I tried to open it, but the chain fell inside an out of my reach. So I went to the balcony hopping that the doors were opened, but they weren't, and then is when I heard the whispers. 

Low whispers that I didn't understood, so trying to locate them, I looked down and I saw a person standing there. It's face was twisted and it's eyes were as red as blood. I backed off and tried to force the doors, but when I turned around he was there, next to me. I jumped to the window again to discover that they were opened, so I entered and closed it behind me. Looking at my two dears, that were completely black out" he said smiling impishly, Elladan and Legolas hit him with cushions "I search for my chain, but I couldn't find it anywhere, so I thought that in the morning I will find it, but when I went to the bed, I saw it there. And then something broke the window. I think it was a heart, but in the morning there were just the pieces of the window without a sing of what could have broken it"

"And as he kindly had point, we were so deep asleep that we heard anything" Elladan said

"Interesting" Mithrandir said eating a cookie.

"Elrohir, weren't you drunken too?" Estel said

"I don't know, I drank that night, not as much as them" again he was hit with the cushions "But I drank. It could have been an illusion, but the broken widow wasn't. Ask Uraith if you don't believe me, the window was broken and the pieces were inside the room, that proves that it was broken from outside" 

"But don't worry Estel, until now it haven't happen again" Legolas said with a comforting smile looking at the frighten little human "And this was about a millennia ago" 

"Really?"

"Really little one" Elrohir and Elladan said at the same time 

"Great"

"Well, Lord Elrond and Legolas are the only ones missing" Glorfindel said 

"If you don't mind Legolas, I will continue"

"Of course not, my Lord"

"Well, this story happened when Thranduil and I were in Mirkwood hunting"

TBC...

Don't forget to review! 


	4. Chapter IV

DISCLAIMER: They are not mine, you know it.

Author Notes: English is not my mother language, sorry for the mistakes. Sorry for taking so long, but I don't have this story written, I'm writing it as the days passes and when I finally manage to write it, I have problems posting it! Annoying. Anyway here is the next chapter, hope you enjoy it and don't forget to review.

Dragon: Maybe, maybe. Keep reading and you'll find out

Alida-Fruit: I love ghost stories as well and I agree with you, they are just fascinating. I really can't understand those people who freaks out whenever they hear one, or see something strange, it is not that terrible, I must tell you. I really hope that you can have a ghost experience, and I pray to Fate that the experience is a good one (not all of them are good).  

Glad you like my characterization :blushes:

The evil witch queen: :grins: Agree, I think they aren't serious people, they just pretend to be and hide they antics very well.

Jessi-Greenleaf: Thanks!

Magpie Poet: Well, I think tea is quite esthetic. Besides, they made the language so they could sing and talk after all! 

MadMaddie: Here you are!

Yo es muy estupido: I can understand you... I'm always fighting with the annoying computers.

Shadowfocs: Hope you're still with me. I know it's been quite long.

Anime Elvengirl: Thanks!

Luin, Nuin and Eren: Glad you're liking and that's a good idea, I'll considerer it, promise. 

Miralas: Of course I'll write more. Little my little, but I will. 

PLEASE REVIEW I will really appreciate it. If you are a fanfic writer you know what a review means. So please do it. And if you are not, do it anyway and make a girl happy (very, very happy)

Are you still bored?

"Well, this story happened when Thranduil and I were in Mirkwood hunting" 

"I bet that a lot of details will be missing" Elladan whispered, Legolas and Elrohir chuckled. Mithrandir must have thought the same, for he too chuckled. It wasn't a secret that after hating for centuries the Noldor lord of Imladris and the Sindarin king of Mirkwood had become more than friends. Not to say, their sons were delighted. 

"I'll pretend that you didn't say anything" the lord said to his older son. Of course he had heard Elladan's comment, but he knew it was well natured. 

"I think that's the best for all, father" Elladan said, his face the essence of seriousness.

"Cynic" Elrohir murmured to Legolas

"Very" the prince said nodding. 

"What are you talking about?" The young human asked his father, because not having the sharp earshot of elves he hadn't heard his older brother's comment. The lord of Imladris remained silent for a moment, what Elladan had said was true after all and what he was going to tell wouldn't be comprehensible if he omitted certain details, but then it was the kind of details you don't want to share, specially with your sons (one that wasn't even old enough to go hunting alone), one you considered as a son and two mischievous beings in the form of his counselor and one of his most trusted friends… they will never let him live that down. And Thranduil will certainly kill him if he told that to Legolas… So he decided to change the story. Of course they will notice, but he was sure no one would say anything, for their own good.  Elrond was about to answer Estel then, when a loud thud made him turn his attention to the large couch were the princes were seated only to find said couch upside down and three pair of legs moving as if trying to recover the siting position, cushions were flying.

"And people wonder how I remain agile" Mithrandir said to Elrond avoiding a cushion.

"You are always welcome" Elrond said looking amused at the three young elves who were tickling each other now "but maybe you want to train in your trips, so if you want to take them..."

"No thanks! They are all yours... and Thranduil" the Istari said with an impish smile. Meanwhile Estel was looking at his brothers and best friend, who had been peacefully drinking tea and eating cookies, but know they were trying to sit up again. He was glad that the creepy stories had stopped, but he knew that they will continue and he feared Legolas' most for the prince's strange fascination to tell scary stories was well known. A strong thunder lighted the room and the human shiver, the noise had stopped and so lost he was in his thoughts that he hadn't realized when.

"Are you three still alive?" Glorfindel asked amused.

"Almost" Legolas said emerging from the couch and putting a stray braid in its place.  

"Sorry for the interruption father, please continue" Elrohir said stepping next to Legolas as both of them turn the couch to its right possition. Elladan who was still in it fell with a thud in the cushion mess. Looking at them pouting, the three sat again so close that they were touching and looked at Elrond with faces that were the essence of innocence. Rolling his eyes, but smiling despite himself, the lord of Imladris started his story holding tight a resigned Estel. 

EMPTY EYES

            The Elvenking of Mirkwood and his guest, the Lord of Imladris, were comfortable sited in two chairs on Thranduil's library. They were revising some documents about Dol Goldur and it's history, a warm fire was cheerily providing light and warm in the cold night of Winter. Two cups of wine next to a bottle and some fresh cheese and warm bread were in front of all the papers the elven rules had on the table. Now and then they shared a tender kiss or a sweet caress, but they were mainly focussed on their task, the two of them being serious about the subject that occupied. Suddenly Thranduil lifted his head.

"Is something wrong?" asked Elrond puzzled at the sudden movement of his friend

"I thought I heard something" Thranduil said frowning "Did you not?" he then asked looking at Elrond.

"I did, like someone passing in front of the door" Thranduil nodded and Elrond continued "What is strange about that?"

"Maybe nothing. Lets continue" Thranduil said focussing on the papers again. He hadn't liked actually that sound, for it heard like if the person was crawling his or her foot and never an elf walked that way even if he was hurt to dead. Elrond didn't seem to notice maybe because he wasn't use to the sounds of the palace and he thought it being normal, but after an hour the noise repeated again and this time Elrond noted something amiss too.

"That is not a normal walking"

"Last time was the same" Thranduil agreed.

"What do you think it is?"

"I do not know for certain, but I have an idea" Elrond raised his eyebrow questioningly "Those three crazy elflings"

"Elladan, Elrohir and Legolas? Well... it does not sound so difficult to believe, since Haldir, Rumil and Orophin threw them that huge snow ball three days ago, they had being looking for the perfect time for their revenge" 

"And this is the perfect night to try to scary someone to dead. " Thranduil added standing up 

"But why will they play the prank on us?"

"They would not dare. Unless those insane children think that they are here, not us"

"Well, I think we must go and tell them to look in another part of the castle. I really want to do something more… interesting with you than being here in this paper mess. And if those three keep doing whatever they are doing…"

"Besides I do not what to be the victim of whatever they are plotting" agreed the king 

"Then lets go" 

"Wait my friend" Thranduil said an impish smile forming in his fair face. Now Elrond knew that Legolas' favored his father in looks when he was serious, grave, merry or even being impish.

"I take you thought something?" the dark-haired elf said eyeing his friend with a raised eyebrow.

"You can be certain. And something, lets say... funny... for us, that is"

"And that will be...?"

"Scare the little devils" Thranduil said as if it was obvious. He took his long and elegant finger to his lips in a gesture that asked for silence when the noise repeated, Elrond rolled his eyes. Both felt the touch of fear starting to hold their hearts, but ignored it somewhat annoyed with themselves, their sons could be sure they will get a speech after they scare them. 

            But when the Elvenking opened the door nothing was out there. The long corridors were dancing in the dim light of the candles and no shadow nor sound disturbed the peaceful atmosphere. 

"So...?" Elrond asked when Thranduil closed the door again.

"There was no one"

"They could not move that fast. Not even after the centuries of developing that skill from running away from Glorfindel, Erestor, Haldir, Rumil and Orophin" Elrond said frowning.

"I know" then, again, that noise.

"Enough!" Thranduil said opening again the door. Again nothing. Several times it repeated, when Elrond tried to look he had the same results. 

"This is insane" the Elvenking said at last. They had tried with leaving the door open, but then the noises weren't heard. When at last they decided to close the door and continue working, the noises repeated. By now, the two elven rules were sure that their sons or any other elf could not been producing that kind of noises.

"Maybe we are just tire" suggested Elrond "Lets leave our research here and we will continue after we had rested"

"Very well then" Thranduil agreed and lead the way to the door. They stepped out into the corridors and walked to their rooms. As they walk a freezing breeze made them shiver, they stopped.

"Where that came from?" asked Elrond "I did not know your palace had this chilly air at night"

"Maybe... Elrond did you see that?" Thranduil asked as he pointed a spot next to the Noldor elf. Elrond saw that the king was getting nervous. The noise was heard again.

"What? Thranduil you are not playing silly games, are you?" asked the dark-haired elf suspiciously.

"No, no. I swear I saw something moving that way. It was a twisted body and it came when the noise sounded" Elrond believed him immediately, for he had seen the shock in the blue eyes of his friend.

"You think is an orc?"

"Of course no! How could you think that?" The Elvenking said indignant "My guards will never allow an orc to get close to the palace, let along inside it!"

"Well then, I meant no offence" Elrond said trying to calm the king. "Elbereth, I saw it!" 

"I will not allow it to wander freely in my palace" Thranduil said turning around and walking in the direction they came. "Are you coming?"

"Certainly, I want to know what in the Valars' name is that thing"

"And you say Legolas and the twins act like elflings when they are curious" said Thranduil amused. Elrond just rolled his eyes. They walk in silence until they heard the noises again. Elrond pointed to the figure that was surrounded in shadows. It had stopped  in a corner with its back to them. Thranduil nodded and the two approached it.

"Who are you that wanders in my palace without my consent?" asked the Elvenking. Little by little the figure turned over. Both lords gave a step back terrified.

"It was covered in blood and had half its body torn apart with its entries out of it. Its face was frozen in a shout of agony and where its eyes were supposed to be were only to bloody holes looking directly at us. It was holding its heart in one hand, a hand that stretched toward us." Elrond said forgetting Estel was there and describing the scene with detail.

"And...?" Elrohir's question was almost a whisper

"It run toward us and before it collided it disappeared without trace. We looked for it the next days and nights, but it did not returned. And for what I have heard from Thranduil it has not came back since then" All of them, Mithrandir and Glorfindel included, gulped. 

"I can not believe you live in such a creepy place" Elladan said turning to see Legolas after a moment of silence.

"Well, at least I can go to the library without seeing figures standing with the lighting of thunders and looking evilly at me" said the blond prince sarcastically.

"To tell the truth, I do not know what is worse" Glorfindel said looking at his lord.

"And you Estel?" Elrohir asked to his little brother. The human was pale and clutched to Elrond's tunic as if his life depended on it.

"Estel, I think it is bed time for you" Elrond said frowning "You should never have heard this kind of stories"

"No father, I want to stay and listen to Legolas' story" Estel said shocking his head "It wouldn't be correct if I listen to everyone's story but his"

"You can go, little one. I promise I would not get offended" Legolas said smiling tenderly.

"I want to stay, really" the human insisted.

"Look Ro, he likes to me masochist like you!" Elladan commented merrily.

"What?!" his twin fall from the couch. Legolas chuckled while Elrond, Glorfindel and Mithrandir looked at the younger twin incredulously. 

"We will pretend that we heard nothing" Elrond said after Elrohir sat again in the couch and threw a cushion to his twin "For both, your own good and ours" 

"Thanks father" Elrohir said throwing Elladan a mocking indignant look. "For Elladan is certainly not telling the truth"

"Am I not?" Again, the antics of the princes had made Estel forget for a moment the fear, and with the innocence of a little boy, he thought he had already surpassed it. 

"Can I stay then Father?" he asked turning to see Elrond with big puppy eyes, the kind of look the twins and Legolas threw him when they wanted something. He sighed.

"You know Estel?" he asked moving the little human to a more comfortable position to both "You have spend a lot of time with those three" said trio didn't heard the comment since they were busy in their own discussion. 

"Wait!" Legolas said covering his head with his hands "I did not even say a word!" Elrohir didn't care and hit him with a cushion, while Elladan was trying to get his younger twin off of him. Mithrandir laughed.

"Elrohir you are going to asphyxiate your brother and Legolas must tell his story"" Elrond said as calm as possible (quite calm actually, after all he had had a few hundred years to perfect that skill) 

"But father..."

"Behave" after the three were seated again (holding each other tight despite everything) Legolas' maniacally smile graced his fair lips. Glorfindel hid his own smile with his cup of tea, he had always found Legolas obsession/fascination for scary stories quite amusing, but he must admit that they were always really creepy, even for a grown elf. For no matter if the story had happened to a third person or to him directly (that it was disturbingly often) he always narrated them scarier enough to make even Galadriel shivered. 

TBC...

Remember PLEASE REVIEW I will really appreciate it. If you are a fanfic writer you know what a review means. So please do it. And if you are not, do it anyway and make a girl happy (very happy)


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